Automatic switch for electric circuits



Nov. 24 1925. 1,563,072

J. A. BRENNEMAN AUTOIA'I'IC SWITCH POR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS F1106 m. 16. 192; 2 Sheets-Shed 1 J. A. BRENNEMAN AUTOMATIC SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS Nov. 24 1925.

Filed Jan. 16, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet z M. M g

m m w 0 M w Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

the a JOHN ARTHUR BBENNEIIIAN, OF lJZILV/AUKEE, "WISCONSIN, ASSIGNQB OF ONE-HALF TO EDNA TURNER, F JK'ITLW'AUKEE, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC S'WZTCEI FOB ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

Application filed. January 16, 1923. Serial No. 612,945.

[ all 111710122, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Joirx An'r'irini Bunn- Nmnix, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches for Electric Circuits; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full. clear, and exact description thereof.

In the invention, a 24- hour clock is provided having an elongated shaft to which an hour hand and an inner disk are secured. An outer disk is mounted on the shaft and b o ad uSt-able angularly with respect to the inner disk, means being provided for securing the disks together in diitterent positions of adjustment. A spring is provided on the outer disk increasing the radial length thereof, and opera-tine on a bell crank lever to close a circuit. lhe length of spring; exposed is conveniently determinable and thus means a re provided for (lfil'mlilialing the time interval thruout which the circuit is closed.

The primary object of the iz'ivention is the provision of means for closing an electric circuit and. keeping it closed thruou a prc determined interval of time. Thus the device is adapted to control lighting and power systems in an aiiitomatic manner. The arrangen'mnt is such that the closing is ciilectcd without throwing an appreciable burden on the clock mechanism, so that the clock operates ac :uratcly and the interval thruout which it is operative is definitely determined.

An object oi. the invention is the provision of conveniently operable means for cleicrniiningr the time at which the switch may become closed. The circuit closingdisk is adjustable angularly with respect to an inucr disk, and rotation of: the former with respcct to the latter may be cii'cctuated by the more urging of a pointer about the strait. M ea us are provided rotated with the pointer for gripping the inner disk at a number of points-spacedapart on the circunrferencc of the inner disk. The adjustn'xcnt may be made rapidly and is accurate.

An object of the invention is the provision of" conveniently operable means tor varying the duration of time thruout which the switch remains closed. A spring which extends along the surface of the outer disk may be shortened in its extent by the mere rotation of a pointer mounted on the clock shaft, to which one end of the spring is sccured. As the pointer is rotated in a clockwise direction, the spring is pushed thru an opening); in the disk and thus its operative length is shortened, so that it sustains the bell crank lever in circuit closing position, a shorter period of time. Movement of the pointer in a counter-clock Wise direction operates to p rolong the time interval.

4. further object of the invention is the provision of a construction of especial siniplicity, ot a minimum number of parts, easy to manufacture and durable.

lVith the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proreeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changg'cs in the precise embodiment of the heroin disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

in the accompanying drawing is illustrated, one complete example of the physical cinlgiodinicnt of the present invention con. structed accord ing to the best mode so far dovised tor the practical application of the principles thereof.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the novel device, the circuit being shown in closed position.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the device, and Figure 3 is a detailed section taken substantially on the line 3-3 oil. Figure 2.

A rectangular box has a front closure 11. secured thereto, the closure being cut away at its upper edge to receive an exten sion 12 from the upper end of the box. 011 the inner face of closure 11 a clock casing i3 is supported, the closure having an opening lhru which an elongated shaft 14: projects from the clock. The outer face oi? the closure 11 has a dial 15 secured thereto, and a hand 16 carried by the shaft cooperates with the dial to indicate the time, the dial having, two semicircular series of numbers which run up to 12. The clock is of such nature that the shaft rotates once in a period of 24 hours. (in the sh aft 14: immediately exterior to hand 16 is an inner disk 17, abutting against a sleeve 18 on which outer disk 19 is fitted for rotation. Pointer 20 is rotatably mounted on the shaft and has a collar 21 thereon, ex-

tending inwardly and contacting with the surface of disk 19. An annulus is secured to the end of the shaft by pin 22 and prevents outward movement of the pointer 20. A pointer 23 is secured to the inner face of outer disk 19 by means of pins 24, and the inner end 25 of the pointer is bent angularly to contact with the cylindrical surface of disk 17. The inner disk has a large number of indentations 26 therein, spaced apart equidistantly. The end 25 of the pointer has a projection thereon not shown, adapted to engage in the indentations 26. Disk 19 may be rotated on sleeve 18 by urging pointer 23 in direction of rotation. The end 25 of the pointer engages with inner disk 17 and secures the two disks together in any desired position of adjustment. Outer disk 19 has 24 indentations 27, on its cylindrical surface. A spring 28 fits snugly against the surface of the outer disk and is provided with a small boss 29 adapted to engage in the indentations 27. The outer end of the spring is bent into an arm 30 which is secured by means of a pin 81 to a pointer 20, the pin being slidable in a slot in the pointer. The disk is provided with an annular groove 34 into which the inner end of the spring extends thru an opening If desired, a pointer 20 may be rotated with respect to outer disk 19 thus causing the spring to tend a greater length in the groove 31, if the rotation of the pointer is clockwise, but operating to withdraw a portion of the spring if the rotation is counterclock wise. hen shaft 1 1 is rotated by the clock it operates thru the medium of hand 16 to indicate the time of day and at thesame time thru inner disk 17 it moves outer disk 19 which carries pointer 23. As is shown in Figure 1, spring 28 extending thru opening 35 provides camming surface adjacent pointer This camming surface operates on the movement of the outer disk to actuate bell crank lever 36 which is pivotally supported by bracket 37, secured to the cover 11, The movement of the bell crank lever operates to move a contact 38 against contact 39, the contacts being carried by extension 12. The contacts are in circuit with a relay l0 which is operative on the closing of the circuit to lift switch 11 agains the action of gravity, thereby closing the main circuit 1-2.

The circuit remains closed until spring 28 is moved beyond the lower end of hell crank lever 36. The lever is then permitted to rotate slightly as the spring is no longer in contact therewith and the lower arm of the lever is free to move downwardly to contact with the surface of the outer disk.

Figure 1 shows the position of parts after the circuit has been closed for one hour. Pointer 23 is then positioned at the number 1 on the dial. If it is not desired to close the circuit until a three hour period for instance has elapsed, hand 23 is rotated to the left to the numeral 9. The circuit will not then be closed until three hours have elapsed, as it will require three hours for the pointer 23 to travel from 9 to 12, the circuit being closed at 12. It is apparent therefore that the device may be conveniently manipulated so as to be operative at any desired hour. The angular distance from pointer 20 to pointer 23 measured in clockwise direction is in proportion to the numberof hours thruout which the device is operative to maintain the circuit closed. This is apparent from the fact that spring 28 extends on the circumference of outer disk 19 from pointer 20 to pointer 23. If it is desired to decrease the interval of time during which the circuit is closed, pointer 20 is moved in clockwise direction towards pointer 23. If it is desired to increase the interval of time, pointer 20 is moved in a counter clockwise direction. The spring 28 may be thus extended over the entire surface of the disk and is then operative thruout an entire 24 hour interval. Again, by rotating pointer 20 in a clockwise direction, the spring may be inserted its entire length in groove 34:. When the extreme outer end of the spring is being pushed inwardly thru opening 35, pin 31 is free to move toward shaft 14- in slot 33. \Vhen the spring is thus entirely positioned in the groove, the device is inoperative at anytime in the 24 hours to close the circuit.

It is apparent therefore that conveniently operable means are provided for varying the time at which the circuit is closed and that conveniently operable means are provided for varying the interval thruout which the circuit is closed. The adjustment of disk 19 with respect to disk 17 may be made very fine by increasing the number of notches 26. Similarly, by increasing the number of indentations 27, the fineness of adjustment of the pointer with respect thereto is increased.

I claim:

1, The combination of a clock, a shaft rotated thereby, a dial, a hand cooperating with said dial to indicate the time, an inner disk rigid with said shaft, an outer disk, means for securing saidouter disk in different angular positions with respect to said inher disk, said outer disk having a groove therein and an opening extending from its cylindrical surface to said groove, a pointer carried by said shaft, a spring extending thru said opening into said groove and lying thruout a part of its length on the exterior surface of said disk, said spring being secured at its outer end to said pointer, means for securing said pointer in different angular positions with respect to said outer disk, a bell crank lever, means pivotally supporting said lever, one arm of said lever being disposed in cooperative relationship with said outer disk, whereby on the rotation of said outer disk, said spring is operative to actuate said lever, and means operative on the movement of said lever for closing an electric circuit.

2. In a time control electric switch, the combination of a pair of contacts, means for closing said contacts including a cam follower, a rotatable cylinder mounted adjacent said follower, clock work for rotating 10 said cylinder, and an extensible cam member cooperating with said follower and partly housed Within said cylinder, whereby the extent of active surface of said cam may be varied.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

J. ARTHUR BRENNEMAN. 

